Episode 284: The Best Damn Listener Email Show Period
Date September 11, 2013 Summary Ben and Sam answer listener emails about Mariano Rivera’s workload, rarely applied rules, FIELDf/x and shifts, quality starts, and more. Topics * Episode 283 follow-up: Minor league advance scouting * Mariano Rivera's workload * Throwing gloves and hats at the ball * FIELDf/x and shifts * Episode 251 follow-up: Sandy Koufax sitting out * Justin Upton vs. Adam Jones * Quality starts Intro Frasier 'Love Bits Dog' sound clip Email Questions * Luis: "While I agree somewhat with Sam in that I'm not sure it would make that much of a difference, it certainly couldn't hurt. Not all major leaguers like to use a lot of report data and some rely on it more heavily. So while having reports available might make zero difference to the former, it might help the latter more drastically. It may lead to more mature approaches for some individuals. My point though is that having more extensive reports on minor leaguers might help major league teams when those minor leaguers come up. The scouting reports might not be as useful as reports compiled against major league opponents, but I'm sure they'd be better than 'Who's this? Some rookie, pitch him inside'. Do you think there's something to this? Could this force rookies to adjust faster than usual, without them getting one or two runs through the league before there's a book out on him?" * Richard: "Should the Yankees overwork Mariano Rivera in the stretch run, assuming that he's retiring at the end of the season? Since they know he won't be playing baseball next year they have no fear of doing long term damage to his arm as they trot him out night after night through September and potentially the postseason." * Jeff: "What is your favorite instance of a seldom used rule being applied?" * Chris: "Gentlemen, is it illegal to throw a glove at a ball?" * Daniel: "I had a couple questions about the implementation of FIELDf/x data into games. Will we see more extreme shifting than teams like the Rays and Pirates are doing currently? I'm not talking about the frequency of shifting but rather than putting 6 or 7 guys on one side of the field for dead pull hitters, something like that...If shifting helps and it's important does it mean that players who don't have a pronounced batted ball tendency are more valuable?...Will there be a drop in the value of individual defense if players are positioned so efficiently that they are asked to cover less ground." * Eric: "As I sat in synagogue this morning a historic event hit me: imagine the reaction today to Sandy Koufax not pitching in game 1 of the World Series due to Yom Kippur. It'd be pretty wild if you ask me." * listener: "Who is better, Justin Upton or Adam Jones?" * Roons: "Why hasn't the Sabermetric community embraced the quality start more? I can't even find it on Baseball Reference and even though it's not a perfect stat it has to be more tolerable than the win, yet still very palatable for the average fan." Notes * It is illegal to throw a glove at a ball. If you throw it at a thrown ball it is a two base penalty. If you throw it at a batted ball it is a three base penalty. Links * Effectively Wild Episode 284: The Best Damn Listener Email Show Period Category:Email Episodes Category:Episodes